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Kevin Love - Miami Ground Machine

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Is Kevin Love a Hero for Saving a Dog?

  • Yes

    Votes: 28 48.3%
  • Too Right!

    Votes: 2 3.4%
  • Hotter than Jimmy G

    Votes: 15 25.9%
  • Jim Chones

    Votes: 13 22.4%

  • Total voters
    58
Did they have any comment on Avdija? Maybe they assumed he wouldn't make it to five. It looks like the takeaway from this is the cavs would go Toppin in this scenario. Personally i think we still gotta take BPA and let the chips fall. I actually have no idea who that is from looking at all these guys. Could it be Okoro? Halliburton? I'm afraid Toppin is just going to be a complete mess defensively. From what i have seen his lateral movement is slow. I tend to lean towards Okongwu. I think he's already there defensively and he can improve offensively. I can see the pick could go in many different directions and I won't complain about any of them,,,hopefully they take the right guy.
I don't recall any specific comments about Avdija. However, Fedor said this in his column from a week ago:

If Wiseman, considered one of the top players in the class alongside LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, slips to No. 5, he would be the pick. The Cavs would be thrilled…Bigs are the most accessible commodities in the NBA. Nonetheless, the future of the center spot is murky at best, pushing it higher up the priority list. Given that, I still think the most likely draft pick is a big (Toppin, Okongwu) or wing (Deni Avdija, Devin Vassell, Isaac Okoro). I get the sense the Cavs will ignore guards -- unless Ball or Edwards unexpectedly drop or someone wows them during the interview process.

I agree with the posts about not taking Toppin. The Cavs were historically bad defensively last year. I read somewhere recently that only one playoff team last year finished in the bottom third of the defensive rankings and that was a team with a high-powered offense (maybe Portland?). The point being that a really bad defensive team has very little chance of making the playoffs. So why take another bad defender to add to the ones we already have?

I've read that the biggest need is a good perimeter defender who can also shoot from deep. No question that would be a big help. But then the Cavs would be locked into committing to Drummond long term, right? And there's a question of whether you can win in the modern NBA with a traditional post player like that. The Pistons never won with him and practically gave him away.
 
So, he's pretty sure it's down to one of Wiseman, Ball, Edwards, Avdija, Toppin, Vassell or Okoro? Way to go out on a limb there man.
He doesn't think Wiseman, Ball, or Edwards will be there at #5. He doesn't see them taking a guard. So it's either a big, most likely Toppin as an eventual replacement for Love, or a wing who can play defense.

In his "Ask Chris" column today he says, "Unless the Cavs find a more suitable option to run the offense, Garland is locked into the starting point guard position -- even if the undersized Garland-Sexton backcourt appears problematic on the defensive end. Garland was picked fifth overall in 2019 to be the point guard of the future. He’s the only true lead guard on the roster."

Also, "Most people, including head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, view Porter’s best position at 2 instead of 3." And, "Porter’s viewed as the most promising of all the young pieces."

Between Garland, Sexton, and Porter we're set for a long time at guard. Putting Porter at the 3 and playing all of them at the same time doesn't seem to be an option.

"Theoretically, Porter’s best path to starting is at the 3, sliding into Cedi Osman’s spot. But the Garland-Sexton-Porter trio was wretched. In 154 minutes together last season, that threesome had a -26.3 net rating."

In my opinion it all hinges on what to do with Drummond. If they want to commit to him long term and can get a deal done then they can concentrate on improving the perimeter defense with somebody like Vassell. The last 23 games of the regular season were going to give them a good indication of whether they should go with Drummond. But with those games cancelled and only a small sample of eight games to go with I don't think they are ready to make that decision. Detroit never won with Drummond and practically gave him away. Many feel that centers with his skill set don't fit in the modern, uptempo, three-point shooting game.

I'm thinking that with the questions about Drummond, the departure of TT either now or next year, and Love's limited shelf life they almost HAVE to take a big, preferrably once who can play the 5. Another option is to trade the pick.

“They don’t want that (No.5 overall) draft pick,” the executive told SI.com. “I don’t know that for certainty — but I’ve spoken to enough people over there that I know they don’t really want to bring in another young unknown.

“I strongly believe they will end up trading it.”

The executive added that owner Dan Gilbert has been putting pressure on general manager Koby Altman to start turning the Cavs into playoff contenders.

“From my understanding, Mr. Gilbert is starting to put the pressure on (Cavs GM) Koby Altman and the front office,” the opposing exec said. “There’s no ultimatum or deadline, as far as I know. But I think there’s a sense that it’s time to start making the playoffs and showing signs of progress.”

Fedor adds:

"[The trade for] Drummond -- the first maneuver that signaled an organizational shift, trading away future assets for a win-now piece, moving out of asset-accumulation mode."

Maybe the #5 pick will be another "future asset" they trade for a player that can help them win now.
 
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Mark me down as someone who will be extremely upset with the front office if they trade this pick.
Ordinarily I would agree. However the Cavs are in no shape to turn down an intriguing offer. With Sexton, Garland, KPJ, and Windler, do we really need another kid? Let's see who's available in trade. With so many coaching changes, moves will be made.
 
Ordinarily I would agree. However the Cavs are in no shape to turn down an intriguing offer. With Sexton, Garland, KPJ, and Windler, do we really need another kid? Let's see who's available in trade. With so many coaching changes, moves will be made.

Windler is going to essentially be a rookie next season. Garland basically came straight out of High School last season. I'm more than open to trading #5 for a veteran starter.
 
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Windler is going to essentially be a rookie next season. Garland basically came straight out of High School last season. I'm more than open to trading #5 for a veteran starter.

What are we trying to become? Mediocre? Stuck in NBA purgatory barely making the playoffs and losing the 1st round each year?

The ONLY young player we have that's shown any glimpse whatsoever of star power is KPJ.... and even he's a long ways away from sniffing that level.

We need to roll the dice on this #5 pick and hope we can draft another star. Maybe Toppin's game will translate better than people think. Maybe Avdija ends up being the next great young Euro star after Doncic? Maybe Okongwu can be the next Bam?

Plenty of guys with potentially high ceilings in this draft. Cavs FO need to do their research and draft accordingly.
 
And since this is the Kevin Love thread I'll talk about the one guy I want to trade him for --- Levert... I don't see the Nets doing it, but I think it makes sense for both teams. Salaries don't match so obviously it would need some throwins but here's the potential lineups of both afterwards.

Potential Nets lineup

PG - Kyrie
SG - Dinwiddie / Harris
SF - Durant/Prince
PF - Love
C - Jordan/Allen

+ Vets

Potential Cavs lineup

PG - Garland
SG - Sexton / KPJ
SF - Levert / Windler / Cedi
PF - Nance / 5th pick (Toppin?)
C - Drummond / TT (if re-signed)


Sexton can run some point, KPJ to the 2/3 and Levert can run the 2 also..

Sign me the heck up! .......... Although the Nets probably don't want old man Love and his contract.
 
And since this is the Kevin Love thread I'll talk about the one guy I want to trade him for --- Levert... I don't see the Nets doing it, but I think it makes sense for both teams. Salaries don't match so obviously it would need some throwins but here's the potential lineups of both afterwards.

Potential Nets lineup

PG - Kyrie
SG - Dinwiddie / Harris
SF - Durant/Prince
PF - Love
C - Jordan/Allen

+ Vets

Potential Cavs lineup

PG - Garland
SG - Sexton / KPJ
SF - Levert / Windler / Cedi
PF - Nance / 5th pick (Toppin?)
C - Drummond / TT (if re-signed)


Sexton can run some point, KPJ to the 2/3 and Levert can run the 2 also..

Sign me the heck up! .......... Although the Nets probably don't want old man Love and his contract.

RCF plans to trade you for two Reddit posters who know how to use the correct thread:

 
Very Curious to see what Love does this year. He had an injury year and then a "take a backseat" year where he pouted at times.

I expect him to be more engaged like he was with Bickerstaff at the end of the year. HE knows now the cavs are not giving anything up to jettison him, so will he ball out to get traded, or do his best to make the team as good as it can be now? He has something to prove for sure.
 
Very Curious to see what Love does this year. He had an injury year and then a "take a backseat" year where he pouted at times.

I expect him to be more engaged like he was with Bickerstaff at the end of the year. HE knows now the cavs are not giving anything up to jettison him, so will he ball out to get traded, or do his best to make the team as good as it can be now? He has something to prove for sure.

I agree. I took the two moves right before Covid-19 as a sign they don't plan to trade Love anytime soon.

1. He shares an agent with Drummond and reportedly wanted to play with Drummond.

2. Beilein was the source of the pouty party, and players won the face-off.

One thing that struck me in the past few weeks... Duncan Robinson is looking like an All Star small forward in the playoffs for the Heat, yet in Beilein's offensive system at Michigan he was just a spot up stretch-4 shooter who created space. Robinson went undrafted because nobody knew his skill set.

Love probably has plenty of reason to celebrate the end of that same system.
 
KLove's game was never based on athleticism. His game was all about positioning and shooting. TBH, there's no reason why he shouldn't age gracefully as a player. Defense not withstanding. He's probably more valuable to us now, than whatever we could get in a trade.

Call me crazy, but for some reason I'm starting to get optimistic as far as the progress the Cavs can make next year. Full season for JB, Drummond, and Windler should make a big difference. Then add whatever is done in the draft or trades, or FA.
Who knows?
 
KLove's game was never based on athleticism. His game was all about positioning and shooting. TBH, there's no reason why he shouldn't age gracefully as a player. Defense not withstanding. He's probably more valuable to us now, than whatever we could get in a trade.

Call me crazy, but for some reason I'm starting to get optimistic as far as the progress the Cavs can make next year. Full season for JB, Drummond, and Windler should make a big difference. Then add whatever is done in the draft or trades, or FA.
Who knows?

There is definitely an opportunity. I don't think playoffs probably, but maybe being in the playoff race still around allstar would be nice.

Who knows if it was just a dead coach bounce, but Bickerstaff coming on changed the dynamic of the team. Bickerstaff allowed them to do more. Cedi handled the ball more and was feeding Drummond when he was open under the basket, Love did everything from playing the 3 offensively in those big lineups and making plays on the perimeter instead of just hand offs and post ups and spacing. Bickerstaff put Darius and Collin in more pick and rolls, and suddenly they were getting more assists to TT and Nance. He empowered KPJ as a playmaker and he had those big games. He had some 6-7 assist games there at the end.

Bickerstaff has a very important task of getting Drummond to play the right way. If he can play in a more disciplined way, He and Love can both have a really great year. It won't be dissimilar to the year he and Blake played really well together. IMO Love fits Drummond even better. He and Love didn't totally get it together in their short time, but Love was clearly benefiting from the attention Andre drew and knew how to exploit it. Drummond is a legit talent, he can alter the win total if he would just focus on defense and not try too many things out his skill set more than a couple times a game. Sometimes I feel like Drummond plays like a 26 year old trying to tell a girl everything good about himself on the first date.

Guys seemed genuinely happier at the end of the season. The winning helped and I think the guys seemed more comfortable in their roles. Being treated like adults makes a big difference.
 
Very Curious to see what Love does this year. He had an injury year and then a "take a backseat" year where he pouted at times.

I expect him to be more engaged like he was with Bickerstaff at the end of the year. HE knows now the cavs are not giving anything up to jettison him, so will he ball out to get traded, or do his best to make the team as good as it can be now? He has something to prove for sure.
think he is going to be a 15-17ppg + 7-10rpg with decent 3pt shooting and poor defense guy the rest of this contract
 
RCF plans to trade you for two Reddit posters who know how to use the correct thread:


I knew this was coming I just didn't have the energy to make 2 clicks and go to that thread. Why go through all that when I can post it here and piss off a moderator in the mean time? :D
 

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